Controlling mechanism for machines for cleaning and opening cotton and forming the same into laps



Sept. 29, 1931. WILKINSON A 1,825,167

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR CLEANING AND OPENING COTTON ANDFORMING THE sAME INTO LAPS -6 Sheets-Sheet 1- Filed Nov. 26, 1929 l NVENATTORWEY Sept. 29, 1931. H. WILKINSON 1,825,167

CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR CLEANING AND OPENING COTTON ANDFORMING THE SAME INTO LAPS Filed Nov. 26. 1929 6 Sheets-Shut 2 I ILLFTLJ S 39 56 1 (Z 42 I l 4 ILL LJ 1 W I I E n 67 I 1 so fi fi 40 '44 4INVENTOR.

.sept. 29; 1931.

H. WILKINSON CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR CLEANING AND OPENINGcor'ron AND FORMING THE sum mm nus Filed Nov. 26. 1929 6 Sheets- Sheet 3Sept.- 29, 193 l H. WILKINSON CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FORCLEANING AND OPENING COTTON AND FORMING THE SAME INTO LAPS Filed NOV.26, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept- 9, 1931. H. WILKINSON 1'825'167CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR MACHINES FOR CLEANING AND OPENING COTTON ANDFORMING THE SAME INTO LAPS Filed Nov. 26. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 N v 2N'TOR:

WI'MI un 7 K QHQZMI hTTORnrETS ml mum; L

p 29, 1931- I H. WILKIDNSON 1,825,167

CONTROLLING NECNANISM FOR IAONINES FOR CLEANING AND OPENING v COTTON ANDFORMING THE SAME INTO LAPS Filed Nov. 26. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 vENToR,

TTORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1931 wxiixr nsoir, or

om omm jmacmimsm not; ron f em'e'im jieeiie"e"" "'lpplicati ans; 1.1.151. r. n i This invention A concerns: cotton 1 cleaning; opening and?lap ,forming apparatus .wherein the ifibre is ainipart mechanically andinpartpneumaticallyconveyedi while :beingi:dealtwithor actedzon ingrouped machines, 'and. there a are :two. groups of cleaning sand-openingmachines, one a preliminary. group, and: the other afurther orrefining] group, the re-- fining roup finishing i with lap i :iforining;1c mechanism there being pneumatic-or; other conveyance between thepreliminary group and the refining, group and through there; fininggroup. which concludes 'with thelap forming mechanism. .f 17C: is; Asregards the preliminarygroup, this may be any suitable combination ofconveyin'gahd opening apparatus and may emb'raeef 1a 1 creeperslattice,'filling motion, hopper opener,- hopper. feeder, 1 cylinder 1opener, i .Crighton' opener, or' anypreliminary 'grou'pofzaneffective'nature, the material-dealt with there-. by beingvpneumatically :conveyedif. necessary over grid dust trunk butthecotton' may beiotherwise conveyedto the second or refining groupwith. which my improvements are particularly-concerned. i T

In this'second or refining group,-pneumatic conveyance is made use of,along with dust cages and also two cylinder'openers together 1 withother'devices suchas 'ahopper feeder fed by cotton pneumatically 'orotherwise c0nveved and delivering to a lattice, togetherwith allnecessary feed rollers-etc; but the ex, c combination is capableofcon'siderable I variation. 1

In the more'modern type of'cylinder or other opener from which theopenedvcotton' is conveyed by an air pipet'o'succeeding cages. there isa vastly greate'ridistance forthe cotton to travel from'the opener tothe: dustcages, it may be, say some 13' feet as:' ar ainst {1: feet forexample. Asa consequence, when a machine is stopped on completion ofa'lap, the fibre in transit between opener-and la. dust cages is much moreconsiderablaand imotrnnias 'AND tour ng; FLI' IITED', 95F: nqt an n filed 'liovember 2e, 192e s ria1 no? 409,812, and n Great Britain. February1-6,: 1,529

minim, EnetANn' pla mate or: T01,

cylinder Topen'e'ns fof the characterrmentioned,

but apply to ianyrcombination of openen a'nd cages the .one if n'eedbesituated compartlvely: remote from the other as will be understoodil Theimprovements areiapplicable fto twvmsts each'- consisting of. a;cylinder or; like opener; and cages with interconnecting pneuniatic.tubes or: trunksi '31 shall herein, deal 2 with :a two setcylinderopener andcages eaclihset; with pneumatic interconnecting tube,the second set followed by :a lap forming arrange ment oiimore or lesswellrknow'n type-W I; The conception at'the'root. of-the'oinvenr tion isthis: I arrange-.toperiodically';andv automatically arrest the mechanismfeeding the first cylinder opener, thedust cages-{the cage rollers, etc,(group marked No. 1- herein) before I arrest the second set'bf dustcages, its cage rollers, etc, (group marked No. 2 herein). The cylinderopeners in each grouprevolv'e constantly." As a .c consequence, theconsiderable quantity of fibre between first-cylinderopener-andbfirstset of cages ;banks-'up at-thenfirst set-0f cages, but:does not passl forward togthe second cylinder opener, 'so that,the'fibre;be-- tween second cylinder opener and second; cages can'besubstantially cleared-11p on'the second pair of cages. In effect Icreatean' interregnum between the periodic cessation of the describedfirst 'groupand' the periodic cessation of the second describedgroup-ainversely, having automatically stopped-uboth groups'at onestage,-I-restart thefir'st group a fraction of time beforefirestartingthe secondfigrouprv If this-be considered,w1t f'ollows that the desiredeven laps will result, because, the considerable quantity of fibreremains banked-up having reached an impasse, While substantially what isforward of that goes onto the lap, and by thereafter first starting thefirst described group, before the second, the banked-up fibre behind thefirst cages catches up to the second cages and links up ere thesere-start.

Such is the system upon which I propose to work and the variousoperations and controls can be well effected by mechanism which is tosome considerable extent known on various textile machines, but which Ihave adopted, modified and combined for thepurposes of carrying out mypurpose.

The accompanying drawings. sufiicieutly illustrate the means Ipropose'to employ. In the drawings: 1 y. 1

Fig. 1 is a general elevation showing a combination of groupedapparatuseswhich can operate in the manner and for the purposes setforth, and deal with the fibrous material from a creeper lattice until alap is formed, without any manual intervention as to handlin of thefibre being dealt with.

Figs. Q'an 2*together comprise an'cnlarged side elevation'of the greaterpart of the succeeding or refining and grouped apparatuses seen in thelower half of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 3 together comprise a plan view of the apparatus shown in"Figs. 2 and 2.

Fig. 1, while not a true plan view, is a developed diagrammatic planintroduced to enable the caring for'refining group of apratuses lowerpart of Fig. 1. and Figs. 2 and 3) to be easily followed.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation in side widths or sections which shows moreclearly the mech anism, for the cylinder openers. the cages, cagerollers, lap forming mechanism. and connections therefrom.

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of Fig.

Fig. 7 is a broken front view of part of the lap forming mechanism.

Fig. 8 shows a section of the spring whee device.

9 is a face view thereof.

Fig. 10 is a. view showing the volutc spring device which returns orrc-sets the spring wheel when the driving pinion or small gear on thelap drop lever is disengaged.

Fig. 11 shows the catch ho): strnctl'u'c. etc. on the side shaft of therefining group of ap laratus.

ig. 12 is an end elevation of one half of the catch box.

Fig. 13 shows the catch box structure. etc... for the feed rollers ofthe first cylinder opener and feed lattice in the refining group ofapparatus.

Fig. 1% is an end elevation of one half of the catch box Fig. 13.

I may use any appropriate preliminary group of apparatus as for examplesuch agroup as is indicated in the upper part of Fig. 1. Shown there, isa creeper lattice a,

communicating with a pneumatic tube 6 leading to cages T with cagerollers 8, etc.,v and then come feed rollers 9. This 15 the first groupor section. The feed rollers 9 deliver thecotton to the second cylinderopener 10, which communicates with a pneulnartic tube '11 leading to thesecond set of cages l-2,cage rollers 13, calender rolls 14, and lapforming mechanisms of more or less ordinary type. this being the secondgroup. A-suitable fan or fans, such as j is or are provided in thepreliminary group to draw the cotton-say from the Crighton opener I, sothat the condenser ican supply the hoper feeder 1, the same fan 7'serving to exiiaust the air from the dust cage in con denser i. This fanprovision can be considcrabiy varied. Fans In properly driven andconnected up are provided in association with the cages in theapparatuses of the second or refining group.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the controlling lever21, known in the art as the lap drop lever, is pivotally mounted at 252on the frame of the machine, the free outer end of which lever isadapted to be engaged and retained in set position by the usualgoose-neck lever 19 pivoted at 20 on the machine frame at the lap endthereof.

\Vhen the lap drop lever 21 is lifted or engaged by hand in the knownmanner. it carries a small gear wheel 24 into engagement with a spurgear 25 forming part of a spring wheel assembly of a more or less knowntype and which will be described in detail hereinafter. This small gearwheel 24: is mounted on a shaft 26 which is a jointed or floating shaft,as known, and which shaft carries at its opposite end a large gear wheel27 which is driven by a spur pinion 28 secured on one end of a shaft 29.said shaft carrying at its opposite end a pulley 30 which is actuated bya crossed belt 31 from any suitable source of power. \Vhen the outer endof the lever 21 is released by the goose-neck lever above described,that end of the lever 21 will drop by gravity. thus carrying the smallgear wheel "2 1 out of mesh with the spur gear 25. The so-called springwheel assembly is mounted on one end of the shaft of the lowermostcalendar roll 14, all of the calendar rolls being geared together and tothe cage rollers 13 andcages 12 by a train of gearing 75 disposed attheside of the machine opposite from said spur gear 25, as shown in'Fig. 6, whereby when the pinion 24 is in mesh with the spur gear 25motion will be imparted by means of the spring wheel assembly to thecalendar rolls 14, as well as the cage r0ll ers 13 'and cages 12. Theconstruction-of the spring wheel assembly, however, is such that thespur gear 25 must rotate a portion of a revolution before impartingmotion to the calendar rolls. This construction is well illustrated inFigs. 8, 9 and 10, wherein isshown a flanged disk32'havi11g an integralsleeve 32* by which it is keyed on the shaft 14 of the lowermostcalendar roll. The spur gear 25 is mounted for free rotation on saidsleeve and is provided with an internal projection 34 forming a fixedstop member, and with a plurality of openings 35 each adapted to receivea movable stop member 36. The disk 32 is provided with an integral lug33- that extends into the path of the spur wheel stop members 34 and 36,so that the spur wheel may rot ate independently of the disk in bothdirections only until one of its stop members encounters the lug 33 ofthe disk. A second flanged disk 37 is secured by means of a set screw 37to the shaft 14 in abuttingrelation to the end of the sleeve 32 of thedisk 32 and the hub of the spur gear 25. A volute spring 38 is securedat one'end to the flange of said disk 37 and at its opposite end to thehub of the spur wheel 25. whereby upon; rotation of the spur wheel inone direction the spring is placed under tension.

In Fig. 4 it will be observed that the sour wheel 25 is in mesh with anidler pinion 49, Which in turn is in mesh with a pinion 48, on the shaftof which is secured a bevel gear 47 in mesh with a bevel gear-4.4.Referring now to Fig. 11, the bevel gear 44 is keyed on a sleeve formedintegral with a flanged clutch member or disk 43 mounted for freerotation on a countershaft 39. on which-shaft is also mounted for freerotation asecond flanged clutch disk 46, said clutch members havingcooperating teeth formed in the opposing edges of their respective.flanges,

means being provided, as hereinafter de'- scribed, for moving the clutchdisk 46 axially of the shaft thereby to control the operation of theclutch members. Between the clutch disks 43 and 46, a member 45,preferably of projections or lugs 46 formed integral with clutch disk46. For operating the clutch disk 46 toward and from the clutch disk 43,a yoke 41 engages a peripheral groove in a sleeve 46"- formed integralwith the clutch disk 46. said yoke forming one armof a bell-cranklever.- 41:

in the position shown' in Fig. 5 said foot engages; beneath the end'wallof the lever and is thus-retained'depressed until operated in the mannerto be later: described. 'A spring rod 23 is pivoted .at one end thereofto the depend ing rod 40=atsome distance above the lower end of saiddepending rod, the outer. end of said 'spring,"rod /passing through th eend frame of i' the machine. and .slidable therein. A coil-spring 68encircles the rod 23 'andis confined "betweenthe machine end frame and.-

asleeve 23 threaded onth'e rod, whereby said rod-is-retaineda in the'position shown in Fig.-

5 under tension of said spring; .MG8I1S1 are provided for periodicallycausing the rod 23 to slide outward'fhrough the machine frame,

said means comprising: a cam' lug 167- secured on t'he'oute'r endof themass in position to be engaged by ta cooperating lug.l8 .(see Figs 5 and7 carried=on the usual radius plate 15 which is secured to a gearlfirmounted for rotation on? the end frame of the machine inmeshwith*apinion' '17- secured on a shaft- 17?, which receives rotary motion,:by means of' a worm.gear-.3 17 from any. suitable source of power; Thegear 16 'also:=carries'ra lug 70 near its'periphery, said lug. beingadapted to engage a hook-shaped; member 19 :carried by the gooseneck'lever 19 thereby periodically to swing saidlexier onits-piv'ota'nd'release thevlap drop-lever 21,'.'as:hereinafter describe :Inttheoperationolf the machine so far de scribed, constant;rotary motion isimparted to the shaft 29.?- Consequently, when the outer;:end ofthe-lapdrop lever 21 is raised to-the positionshoivn-in Fig. 5. 'two resultsimmediately follow, namely: The pinion 24 is carriedinto engagement-withthe' spur wheel 25, and the. depending rod 40:is pulleddownwardbyrreason .ofthe-eng'agement of its foot'40 awiththeunderside-of the lever 21. The eflectofrthe'rengageinent' ofpinion 24with spni'wheel 25ais to cause "said spur wheel to rotate,- thusimmediately transmitting motion throughi49, 48.:47'and'44 to clutchmember 43,. whilethe effect-of'the downward pull on therod40'isttoss'wing-the bell-crank 41 on its pivotthereby carrying-theclutch memher-46 into-engagement with clutch member 43, sothatanotion.is imparted through the memberlfito the shaft 39 and thence throughbowel-gears 50. 50%.a-nd train of gears 76 to thecage rollers 8gandfeed'rollers 9, andby means of the train-of'gearing 77 motion isimparted to the first'set' -of cages 7.

' wheel-it rotates freely until its fixed stop log 34 abuts against theopposite side of the disk lug3-3, whereupon the disk 32 and the shaft towhich it is keyed will'be carried along as a unit with the spur wheel,the spring 38 having been reoensiomd. during the free rota tionof thespur wheel. Itwill thus beclenr that all of the mechanism-towhich motionis imparted by the shaft 139, namely the feed rolls 9to'the-second'cylinder opener 10, the cage rollers-8, and-the first 7,begin to rotate in advance of the'rollers' 14, cage rollers 13 andsecond cages 12, so that fibre is fed to the second cylinder openerlfland thence to the second set ofcag'es' before the latter begintorotaite, the length of time between the beginning-of the rotationofcages 7 and that of .12 being determinedby the position to which thestop lug $6-has been seton the spur wheeL.

Means are provided whereby the downward pull on the rod 4'0, inaddttionto bring ing-the clutch members 46 and-:43 into operativeengagement'asabove described, is also effective simultaneously to causerotation ofthe feeding mechanism for the first cylinder opener 5. Asshown in Fig. 4, the lattice 3 is geared by means of a train of gearing78 to the shaft of one of the feed rolls 4 for the first cylinderopener. On the end of said shaft opposite from said gearing is dis aclutch mechanism similar to that already described and comprising a pairof cooperating flanged disks 58 and 60 (see Figs. 1-3 and 14) mountedfor free rotation on the shaft 4 both of said clutch disks havinginteren-gaging teeth, as indicated at '57, the clutch disk 60 beingslid-able toward and from the companion clutch disk and having lugs 60projecting through openings in the arms of a cruciform member 59 keyedon the shaft 4. The clutch disk 58 is provided with an elongated slceve58 on which is keyed a spur wheel 58 which is constantly in mesh with apinion 79 operated by means of worm gearing from the well knownregulating mo tion 66 (see Fig. 4). The clutch disk 60 is operatedtoward and from its companion clutch member by means of a yoke 61* inengagement with a peripheral groove in a hub portion or sleeve 60 formedintegral with the disk 60, said yoke constituting the short arm of abellcrank lever 61 pivoted at 62 on a fixed portion of the machineframe. The free end of the bell-crank 6:1 is pivota'lly connected to oneend of :an adjustable connecting rod 5.6-, the opposite end of which ispivoted to the free end'of a lever 54 pivoted'at-55 on the machineframe. A second adjustable connecting rod 53 is pivotally connected atone end tothe lever 54 and at its opposite end to one arm of abell-crank lever 51 pivoted-at 52 onafixed part of the machine frame.The other arm of the bell-crank lever 51 is provided with an elongatedopening through which it is pivoted to the depending rod 40 hereinbeforedescribed. 4

From the foregoing it will readily be seen that when the rod 40 ispulled downward for" causing engagement of the clutch members 13 and 46as hcreinbeforc describ'ed,:it will simultaneously swing bell-cranklever'51 on its pivot, thus pulling connecting rod 53 toward the left asshown in Fig. 5, thereby swinging lever 54 and pulling connecting rod l56, thus swinging bell-crank 61" on its pivot and carrying clutchmember- 60 into operative engagement with clutch member 58, whereuponrotary motion is imparted by means of the gearing 80, 79, 58 and theclutch members 6G, 58 to the shaft 4 and thence through the gearing 78to the lattice-3 andithrou'gh the gearing 78 to the feed rollers-tor thefirst opener 5, so that these mechanisms are start ed simultaneouslywith the starting of the (first pair of cages 7, cage rollers8 andcyliner 9-. l

For automatically disengaging the clutchmembers 58 and 60 when the pullon the 0011-. meeting rods 53, 5'6 is released, a flexible memher 63such as a cable or. chain isis'ecurcd at one end to the side of thebell-crank 61 opposite from the rod 56, said cable passing over a pulley64 mounted in a bracket carried by the machine frame, a Weight 6'5'beingsuspended from the opposite end of the cable, whereby when the pull onthe connecting rods is released the bell-crank61 will be swung in theopposite direction under the pull of the cable, thus disconnecting theclutch members.

When the, second cylinder opener 10 has begun to supply the second cages12,-that is, after a fraction of time, the spring wheel assembly 25begins to drive the gear wheels 75 and carriers for the second cages 12,the cage rollers 13, and lap rolls 1 1, as hereinbefore described,whereupon thelap forming delivery begins again, the fibre having so tospeak caught-up so as to constantly and uniformly feed the second cages12.

At this period, the lap is being wound-on the lap rod, in the ordinaryand Well known fashion, and this condition continues until the lap isnearly fully wound. When this stage is reached, the lug 18 acts on theprojection 67 on the spring rod 23 and moves the latter against theaction of the spring 68. The result is, the pendent bar 10 has its foot10a disengaged from the slotted end of the lap drop lever 21, the slotbeing of s'ufiicien't length to permit the foot to pass upwardtherethrough when the rod 40 is pulled to the rear end of the slot. Thependent bar 40 being thus disengaged orunlocked, is free to rise. Theaction of the weight is at this time exerted onthe bell'crank 61 and istransmitted by rods 56 and 53 to bell-crank 51, causing. the latter toswing on its pivot, thereby.moving the pendent bar 40 upward. andswinging the bell-crank 1 to disengage the clutch members 46 and 43simultaneously with the disengagement of clutch members 58 and 60. As aconsequence, thelattice 3, its rollers 4, etc. the first pair ofcages-7,-and cage rollers 8, and cylinder rollers 9,:are arrested, andany fibre between the firsti-cylinder opener 5 and the first .pair ofcages 7 banks-up on the latter. The s'econdpair-of cages 12,- however,go on rotating alongwiththe c e rollers 13 and lap rolls 14 until thefibreavailableis almost exhausted, whereupon thegoose-neck lever-.19,;is .disengagedqby the lug ion the: large gear wheel: 16 and sothelap drop lever .21:isreleased-andfalls in known manner. The release;ofthe lap ;d1"opv lever 21 carriesthe small gear=wheel24 out of meshwith the spring wheel gear 25, sothat the rotation of the latterceas'es.The spring wheel 25, being no longer driven, the second pair of cages12, the cage rollers 13 and lap rolls 14, etc. stop. .This isthe period:of arrestation for removal-of the lap. The volute spring 38 in-thespring wheel? combination,-Figs. 8, 9 and.10-,in the meantime returnsthe abutment34: to starting position, that is, until-the stud-36encounters the caston projection 33. The cylinder openers 5 and 10 ingroups No. 1 and No.- 2 are intended to revolve constantly.

This particular means which. I shall now briefly refer to, is notmaterial, and could be greatly varied, but there is preferably providedan extending connecting rod or rods 71, 72, with one or more L levers orother connections to the hopper feeder if such is combined in therefining group, to arrest the conveying devices therein, by shifting abelt or otherwise, and there is preferably connecting mechanism to thepreliminary group of machines (such as shown in the upper part ofFig. 1) whether in another room, or elsewhere to stop the conveyance ofcotton via the pneumatic tube or otherwise to the initial hopper feederin the refining group orapparatuses with which the invention isconcerned, and during such time as the lap is being removed and up tothe period of restarting.

The spring wheel spoken of is broadly known and is of such aconstruction as clear ly set forth herein that the time when the drivingof the second cages,- cage rollers, lap rolls etc. (following settingofthe lap drop lever) shall occur, can be regulated by adjusting theknown settabl'e stud 36 combined in the spring wheel.

By means of the-present invention, I am able to better clean and openthe fibre and to produce entirely uniform laps, and the material, isnever manually handled from the creeper lattice-a until in lap form.

I declare that what 1 claim is;

1. In a cotton-cleaning and lap-forming apparatus, the combination oftwo distinct groups of similarinechanisms, a shaft mounted'for rotation,gearing at one end of said, shaftfor transmitting motion to one of saidgroups, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shalt, means shiftableinto and out of engagement with said gear for imparting motion thereto,gearing in mesh with said gear for imparting motion to the other groupof mechanism and cooperating means carried .by said shaft and gear forimparting rotation to the shaft after the gear has been rotated througha predetermined a le whereby motion is impartedfirst to one of saidgroups in advancepf the other group and then togboth-groups.

-;2. In a cotton-cleaning and lap-forming apparatus, the combination oftwo distinct groups of similar mechanisms, a shaft mounted for rotation,gearing at one end of said shaft for transmitting motion to one of saidgroups, a gear mounted for free rotation on said'shaft, means shiftableinto and out of engagement with said gear for impartin motion thereto,gearing in mesh with said gear for imparting motion to the other groupof mechanisms, cooperating means carried by said shaft and gear forimparting rotation to the shaft after the gear has been rotated througha predetermined angle whereby motion is imparted first to one of saidgroups in advance of the other group and then to both groups, and meansautomatically operative after the actuation of both groups todiscontinue the actuation of the first group in 'abvance of theother-group.

.motion thereto, gearing in mesh with sai gear for-imparting motion tothe other group of mechanisms, said last' gearing including shiftableclutch members normally out of operative relation, means operative onthe shifting of said motion-imparting means 'into engagement with saidgear for shifting the clutch members into operative relation' thereby toimpart motion to the gear-actuated group at the beginning of therotation of said gear, and cooperating means between said shaft and gearfor" imparting motion to the shaftafter the gear has been rotatedthrough. a predetermined angle thereby to impart motion to the shaft actuated group;

a cotton-cleaning and lap-forming spym-awsmm eombi-nation'of twodistinet groups of similar mechanisms, a shaft mount ed forrotatiomg'earingat one endof said shaftfor transmittingmotion to one ofsaid groups, a gear mounted for free rotationzon said shaft, meansshi'ftable into' and out of engagement with said gear for impartingmotion thereto, gearing in mesh with said gear for imparting motion tothe other group of mechanisms, said'last gearing" including shiftahle'clutch members normally out-of op erative' relation; means operativeenthe shi fit ing of saidmotiondmpartingmeans into en gagement with saidgear for shifting the cliitehmeinhe'rsinteoperati've relation therebyte'impa'rtmotionto the gear-aetuated group at the-be inninger therotation'of said gear, choperating-means between-said shaft and gear forimparting motion'to the shaft after the gear has been rotaxtedthreugh apredeteraimed angle thereby toimpart motion tothe Shaft-actuated group,and means automati- 'c'ally operative during the actuation of bothgroups to return said oluteh members to inoperative position therebyto-d iseontinu'e the aetuation of said gear-aetuated group ad+ Vance ofthe discontinuanee-of the shaft-acttiatedgroup; r "5: In aeo'ttomelean-i'ng and lapiorming apparatus, the combinationof twodistinct roups efsimil'ar mechanisms, a shaft mounted fisrmtatien,gearing at one end of said shaft for transmitting motion to oneof saidgroups, a'gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft, means shiftabl'einto and out of en agement with. said gear for imparting motionthereto,--gearing in mesh with said gear for-imparting motionto-theother group of mechanisms, said last gearing including shiftable clutchmembers normally out of operative relation, means operative on theshifting of said motio'ndinparting means intoengagement with said gearfor shifting the clutch members into operative relation thereby toimpart motion to the gezinactuated group at the beginning of therotation of said gear, cooperating means between fs'aid- "shaft and gearfor imparting motion to the shaft after the gear has been rotatedthrough a predetermined angle therebyte impart motion to theshaft-actuated group, means automatic-ally operative during theaetuation of both groups toreturn'said clutch members to inoperativeposition thereby to discontinuethe animation of said gear-actuatedgroup, and means automati'eallywperativeto shift the motion-impartingHie-ans out of engagement with said gear thereby to discontinueactuation of the gear-actu ated group.

6., In a cotton-cleaning and lap-forming apparatus, the combinationoftwo distinct groups of'similar mechanisms, a shaft mounted forrotation, gearing at one end of said shaft for transmitting motion toone of said groups, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft,means shiftable into and out of engagement with said gear for impartingmotion thereto, gearing in mesh with said gear for imparting motion tothe other group of mechanisms,- said last gearing includingshiftableclutch members normally out of operative relation, meansoperative on the shifting of said motion impa-rting means intoengagement with-said gear for shifting the clutch members into-operatiae relation thereby to impart motion to the gear actuated group at thebeginning of the rotation of said: gear, cooperating means between saidshaft and gear for imparting motion tothe shaft after'the gear has=beenrotated through 'a predetermined anglethoreby to: impartimo tion to theshaft-actuated group, means automatiealliy operative duringthe actuationof both groups to returnsaidclutch members to inoperativepositionthereby to idiscontinue the actuation of said; gear-"actuatedgroup, means: automatically operative to shift the-motions-impartingmeans out of engagement with said gear thereby to discon tinue actuationof the gear-actuated group, and means automaticallyoperative to returnsaid gear to it's: shaft free position;

Z. In: aootton eleaning and lapforming apparatus, a shaft mounted forrotation, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft, means'shiftabl'e into: and out of engagement with said gear for impartingmotion thereto independently of the shaft and cooperating means carriedby saidshaft and gear for imparting'rotati'on to the shaft atapredetermined period during the rotation of the gear.

'8. In a cotton-clowning and lap-forming apparatus-,1 shaft mounted forrotation, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft, meansshiftable intoand out of engagement with said. gear for im arting motiontheret'o independently of t e shaft, cooperating means carried by saidshaft and ,gearfor imparting rotationto the shaft at a predeten minedperiod during the rotation of the gear, and flexible means operativewhen said motionu'mpartingmeans is out of engagement with said gearforreturning the latter to its shaft-free position.

9. In a 'ootton cleaning-and lap-forming wppara tusya shaft mounted forrotation, a gear mounted for free rotation on said shaft,

means 'shiftable into andout of engagement with said gear-for impartingmotion thereto independent of the shaft, a stop disk secured on saidshaft. for rotation therewith, cooperating means carried by said diskand gear-for engagement. after the gear has rotated through apredetermined angle there- Fri) ' name to this Liam

